Photo Galleries

The unemployment rate was 7.8 percent, down 0.6 percentage points from February and 2.6 points from March 2012's rate of 10.4 percent, according to data released by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday.

Meanwhile, Florida's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.5 percent in March, the lowest since October 2008, when it was 7.4 percent.

According to data and local employment experts, a number of employment sectors saw improvement as the year-over-year employment level improved.

Wholesale trade climbed 9.1 percent from March 2012 to March 2013, adding 300 new jobs to that sector. Retail trade climbed 1.4 percent with 200 new jobs. And transportation, warehousing and utilities rose 6.7 percent, with 200 new jobs.

The financial sector saw a 7.5 percent increase in employment in the past year, adding 300 jobs to that sector. The professional and business sector enjoyed a 3.8 percent increase, with 300 more jobs. Leisure and hospitality added 500 new jobs, for a 4.8 percent improvement.

Marion County's labor force also stabilized in March, remaining at its February level of 133,116. Of those, 122,749 people were employed.

Monroe County had the state's lowest unemployment rate in March at 3.8 percent, followed by Walton County at 4.3 percent.

Hendry County had the highest unemployment rate at 10 percent, followed by Flagler County at 9.5 percent.

Kathleen Woodring, chief operating officer for Workforce Connection, said she's encouraged by the improved data, especially because improvement was seen across sectors.

Woodring attributed the dropping unemployment rate to an improving local economy and the willingness of employers to hire workers to meet the demand for goods and services.

Workforce is a not-for-profit business serving Citrus, Levy and Marion counties that helps people get retrained for jobs and find employment.

Woodring said that Marion County could be reaching a "tipping point" in which unemployment will continue to improve.

"Hopefully that will keep the ball rolling," she said.

Woodring acknowledged that many newly employed workers are finding that their wages are significantly lower than before the recession but predicted that will also improve.

"As the unemployment rate goes down you're going to see a shift in wages and a competition for those employees," Woodring said.

Woodring predicts that unemployment improvement will start to level off as its approaches national levels and then after a couple of months, improve again.

But Bob Walther, president of Wal-Staf Personnel Services, with offices in Ocala, Gainesville and Lake City, said he's still isn't convinced Marion County has turned a corner.

"I don't see any boom activity," he said. "I don't feel like it's a great improvement ... but we're slowly climbing back out (of higher unemployment).

Walther thinks that the number of people underemployed or people working for very low wages isn't reflected by Florida's unemployment data.

"The confidence (by employers) just isn't there so we don't see a lot of wage increases," he said. "It's a little here, a little there (in unemployment rates), but no big parade."

<p>Marion County's unemployment rate continued to plummet during March, falling to more than half a percentage point to its lowest level in almost five years.</p><p>The unemployment rate was 7.8 percent, down 0.6 percentage points from February and 2.6 points from March 2012's rate of 10.4 percent, according to data released by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday.</p><p>Meanwhile, Florida's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.5 percent in March, the lowest since October 2008, when it was 7.4 percent.</p><p>According to data and local employment experts, a number of employment sectors saw improvement as the year-over-year employment level improved.</p><p>Wholesale trade climbed 9.1 percent from March 2012 to March 2013, adding 300 new jobs to that sector. Retail trade climbed 1.4 percent with 200 new jobs. And transportation, warehousing and utilities rose 6.7 percent, with 200 new jobs.</p><p>The financial sector saw a 7.5 percent increase in employment in the past year, adding 300 jobs to that sector. The professional and business sector enjoyed a 3.8 percent increase, with 300 more jobs. Leisure and hospitality added 500 new jobs, for a 4.8 percent improvement.</p><p>Marion County's labor force also stabilized in March, remaining at its February level of 133,116. Of those, 122,749 people were employed.</p><p>Monroe County had the state's lowest unemployment rate in March at 3.8 percent, followed by Walton County at 4.3 percent.</p><p>Hendry County had the highest unemployment rate at 10 percent, followed by Flagler County at 9.5 percent.</p><p>Kathleen Woodring, chief operating officer for Workforce Connection, said she's encouraged by the improved data, especially because improvement was seen across sectors.</p><p>Woodring attributed the dropping unemployment rate to an improving local economy and the willingness of employers to hire workers to meet the demand for goods and services.</p><p>Workforce is a not-for-profit business serving Citrus, Levy and Marion counties that helps people get retrained for jobs and find employment.</p><p>Woodring said that Marion County could be reaching a "tipping point" in which unemployment will continue to improve.</p><p>"Hopefully that will keep the ball rolling," she said.</p><p>Woodring acknowledged that many newly employed workers are finding that their wages are significantly lower than before the recession but predicted that will also improve.</p><p>"As the unemployment rate goes down you're going to see a shift in wages and a competition for those employees," Woodring said.</p><p>Woodring predicts that unemployment improvement will start to level off as its approaches national levels and then after a couple of months, improve again.</p><p>But Bob Walther, president of Wal-Staf Personnel Services, with offices in Ocala, Gainesville and Lake City, said he's still isn't convinced Marion County has turned a corner.</p><p>"I don't see any boom activity," he said. "I don't feel like it's a great improvement ... but we're slowly climbing back out (of higher unemployment).</p><p>Walther thinks that the number of people underemployed or people working for very low wages isn't reflected by Florida's unemployment data.</p><p>"The confidence (by employers) just isn't there so we don't see a lot of wage increases," he said. "It's a little here, a little there (in unemployment rates), but no big parade."</p><p><i>Contact Fred Hiers at 867-4157 or fred.hiers@starbanner.com.</i></p>